Piper PA 28-140 accident near Bayport, New York, April 10, 2016
On April 10, 2016 at about 11:07 pm local time, a 1969 Piper PA 28-140, registered N95118, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Bayport, New York (Bayport Aerodrome airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Maintenance personnel’s improper installation and maintenance of the fuel selector valve, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 10, 2016 · about 11:07 pm local time
- Place
- Bayport, New York · Bayport Aerodrome · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 28-140 140, built 1969 · all PA 28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N95118 · no longer on the register · serial 28-25812
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot reported that, shortly after takeoff, the airplane's engine experienced a total loss of power. The pilot attempted to return to land at the airport, but the airplane was too low and struck trees and power lines; a postimpact fire ensued. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the fuel selector valve was loose and did not fit securely into its respective detents. The valve was removed and exhibited blue-colored staining consistent with a fuel leak. The valve was disassembled, and numerous tool marks were observed on the valve cap, consistent with it having been disassembled many times. Removal of the valve's internal components revealed that they were not installed in the order outlined in the airplane's service manual. Additionally, the valve's components were worn; the position washer, which keeps the valve from rotating beyond the detents, was worn on both sides and appeared to have been inverted and reused rather than being replaced. According to the airplane's service manual, the fuel selector is to be inspected every 400 hours. The inspection requires the valve cap and the internal components to be removed and inspected, including the position washer, for signs of extreme wear. If the position washer exhibits such wear, it should be replaced. The valve was examined about 98.1 hours before the accident, at which time only an O-ring was replaced; at a minimum, the valve components' wear should have been evident at that time. The condition of the fuel selector and its internal components, particularly the position washer, is consistent with improper installation and maintenance, which allowed the fuel selector valve to be placed in a position between detents and resulted in fuel starvation to the engine.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Fuel starvation during initial climb
- Loss of engine power (total) during initial climb defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Scheduled/routine maintenance › Maintenance personnel
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Installation › Maintenance personnel
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel selector/shutoff valve › Fatigue/wear/corrosion
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 85 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 27 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 17, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,064.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 9, 2015; 31 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 2,020 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 23N Bayport NY at 11:07 pm
- Destination: MGJ Montgomery NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,740 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 260,000 ft; a few clouds at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.29 inHg
- Observation at 10:56 pm from ISP, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
10 documents, released by the NTSB on May 15, 2018. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Airplane Service Manual | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Maintenance Records | PDF, 13 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Carburetor Icing Probability Chart | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Photos | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 6 | FAA Inspector's Statement | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 7 | Toxicological Report | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 8 | NTSB Materials Lab Factual Report | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 9 | Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 10 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 and Evidence Control Forms | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.